
2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV has 18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.7x the segment average of 26. The most common issue is air bags problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: takata recall gm says vehicle is safe to drive. i don't feel safe in the vehicle though i have no other options. i have four daughters ages 4 to 10 years old. their safety is paramount to me. according to gm i have been advise not to take action. and i will be notified when the part becomes ava. There are 5 recalls issued for this model year.
18
Total Complaints
5
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.7x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 7)
AIR BAGS
5 complaints- • TAKATA RECALL GM SAYS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE THOUGH I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS. I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS AGES 4 TO 10 YEARS OLD. THEIR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT TO ME. ACCORDING TO GM I HAVE BEEN ADVISE NOT TO TAKE ACTION. AND I WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PART BECOMES AVA
- • TAKATA RECALL .I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS TRAVELING VEHICLE SO IT WOULD NORMALLY BE ON HIGHWAYS AT OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR. QUESTION WOULD I BE SAFER TO HAVE THIS DISCONNECTED? WHO COULD DO THIS. I LIKE MOST PEOPLE CAN NOT AFFORD TO TRADE VEHICLES AND REALLY WOULD RATHER NOT. NOW THE C
- • TAKATA RECALL I HAD MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH TWO OF THE LOCAL CADILLAC DEALERS TO GET THE RECALL SOLVED BUT CONTINUE TO GET THE SAME RESPONSE; "THE RECALL ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE!" AS OF YET, THERE HAS BEEN NO CONTACT MADE BY ANY OF THE DEALERS ON GETTING THE MATTER RESOLVED AND INSTEAD SOME OF T
“TAKATA RECALL GM SAYS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE THOUGH I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS. I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS AGES 4 TO 10 YEARS OLD. THEIR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT TO ME. ACCORDING TO GM I HAVE BEEN ADVISE NOT TO TAKE ACTION. AND I WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PART BECOMES AVA”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Recalls (5)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.
Charging Cost Calculator for 2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Cadillac New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Cadillac. If you're buying a used 2011 ESCALADE ESV, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Cadillac dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
EV Incentives for 2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV
Updated 2026-07Federal Tax Credit (Section 30D) — Expired 2025-09-30
Section 30D new clean vehicle credit ($7,500 max) expired for vehicles acquired after Sept 30, 2025 per Public Law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Vehicles acquired on or before that date remain eligible on the buyer's 2025 return. No federal purchase credit exists for post-9/30/2025 acquisitions.
State-Level Incentives (Still Active in 14 States)
Source: US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center + state DOR / DEQ program pages. Program details and eligibility limits change frequently — always verify with the linked source before purchase.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 18 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐AIR BAGS: TAKATA RECALL GM SAYS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE THOUGH I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS. I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS AGES 4 TO 10 YEARS OLD. THEIR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT TO ME. ACCORDING TO GM I HAVE BEEN ADVISE NOT TO TAKE ACTION. AND I WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PART BECOMES AVA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 26771 POWER REAR CARGO DOOR IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. SON WAS SERIOUSLY HURT AT AIRPORT LUGGAGE CLAIMS WHEN A POWER REAR CARGO DOOR WAS CLOSING CAME DOWN ON HIS HEAD AND FACE WITH OUT WARNING OF ANY KIND THAT THIS DOOR WAS CLOSING. THE DOOR IS SO LARGE AND HEAVY AS IT CO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 26771 POWER REAR CARGO DOOR IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. SON WAS SERIOUSLY HURT AT AIRPORT LUGGAGE CLAIMS WHEN A POWER REAR CARGO DOOR WAS CLOSING CAME DOWN ON HIS HEAD AND FACE WITH OUT WARNING OF ANY KIND THAT THIS DOOR WAS CLOSING. THE DOOR IS SO LARGE AND HEAVY AS IT CO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: CONNECTOR TO SEAT CONTROL MODULE LOCATED UNDER PASSENGER SEAT SHORTED OUT AND MELTED WITHOUT FUSE INTERRUPTION. MELTED CONNECTOR FOUND WHEN HEATED SEAT FUNCTION STOPPED WORKING. SEVERAL VEHICLE FORUMS AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS DESCRIBE SAME EXPERIENCE AND POTENTIAL "FIXES". OTHERS REPORT THIS OVERHEATING I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 5 recalls have been completed — free at any Cadillac dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Cadillac ESCALADE ESV — Year Comparison
How does 2011 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 18
- Recalls
- 5
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 5
- Segment avg
- 26
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV